Wallabies player ratings as young star has match he’d ‘wish to forget’ and halfbacks fail to grab ‘control’
Wallabies player ratings as young star has match he'd 'wish to forget' and halfbacks fail to grab 'control'
Ireland comfortably beat the Wallabies 46-19 in Dublin on Saturday evening, with Irish full-back Mack Hansen securing a remarkable hat-trick within the first 30 minutes.
Here’s how we rated the Wallabies players.
Backs
15 Max Jorgensen: The young star succumbed to multiple mistakes during a match he’d likely wish to forget, losing the ball on four separate occasions and failing to beat any defenders in attack. Defensively, he was solid, however, which was his main redeeming point. 4
14 Filipo Daugunu: The heavy winger didn’t quite make the impact he’d have liked to. Despite his size providing an initial challenge for the hosts, they soon addressed this, and he remained an obscure body for the rest of his time on the field. 5
13 Joseph Suaalii: One of the most talked-about players before the match, his performance on the field fell rather flat. He won a couple of vital turnovers and had a fascinating aerial battle with Hansen, but otherwise, he failed to make too much of an impact. 6
12 Len Ikitau: Well taken try and did his best to break the organised Irish defence, but he found himself hitting a brick wall 90% of the time without making a crack. 6
11 Harry Potter: Looked tough and evasive in the carry, and made the only real line break within the side. He was guilty of conceding the ball a few times, however, which will not look good on catch-up TV. 6
10 James O’Connor: Had moments that stood out, but overall, he struggled to gain control of a match where he had no base to work off. Not entirely his fault, but he will have hoped to have used his experience to assert a demand on the game. 5
9 Jake Gordon: Missed as many tackles as he made, and struggled to get much purchase in attack. Kicks weren’t always as pinpoint as he’d have liked, either. At 32 years old, he’d have been expected to have asserted a little more control. 4
Forwards
8 Harry Wilson: One of the busier players. His need to get his hands on the ball was well received, clashing into the Irish defence with each explosive carry. The opposition were equal to his efforts, however, as he – like his teammates – struggled to find a gap in Andy Farrell’s tightly organised defence. 6
7 Fraser McReight: He reacted well to score his try and tackled hard throughout, but his impact in the end was limited. Like his back and second-row teammates, his efforts weren’t often rewarded. Against other teams, he’ll have a better time of it, but against Ireland, his efforts weren’t reflected on the scoreboard. 6
6 Rob Valetini: The giant Brumbies star was huge for the Wallabies, charging into contact with little regard for himself. One of the few Aussie players who caused the Irish any real problems. 7
5 Tom Hooper: The Wallabies’ main attacking weapon, Hooper was instrumental in ensuring that his side got front-foot ball. He also led the tackle charts, proving to be not just an attacking weapon, but a defensive menace also. 8
4 Jeremy Williams: A very limp performance from the 24-year-old lock. He failed to make himself known in the lineout, in the carry, or in the tackle. Will need to figure out a way to get more involved moving forward. 4
3 Allan Alaalatoa: Scrummed hard and carried well. Nothing to be ashamed of. 6
2 Matthew Faessler: First dart went wayward, and the rest continued in the same vein. In open play, he was regularly on and around the ball, but failed to make any real headway. 5
1 Angus Bell: Great hands to create an initial Wallabies breakaway. Like his prop partner, he scrummed well and put in a solid around-the-park performance. 6
Replacements: Replacements in today’s day and age are often referred to as ‘impact players’. Sadly, there was very little impact made. Nick Frost came on and received a yellow card, and the rest, bar Carlo Tizzano perhaps, had no influence on the game. 4